Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-29

zoo. hence tney may nope 10 become fashionable.
AMOS j. CUMMINGS AND BLAKELY HALL
wEBsrER's OLD HOME.
The House Where the Statesman Spent
His Declining Years.
AN OLD MANSION NOW GIVEN Up 10 LAWYERS OF
FICEs-wEBsTERS LINDEN TREE AND FOUNTAIN
MEMORIES THAT CLUSTER ABOUT THE OLD PLACE.
Judge Shell as he sits In his little once I'm the
rear OF the Police Court building when he turns to
his window looks out upon a yard OF irregular
shape and enclosed by a dilapidated brick wall
In the center OF this yard is the ruin OF fountain
shaded by tau linden tree. Linden trees and old
fountains are not uncommon things but there Is
uncommon interest attached to this particular
tree and fountain, for they delighted the eye
OF Daniel Webster. The house TO which the yard
belongs was for time the home OF Daniel Web
ster, the last house he occupied before going to
Marshneld to die. The building. which has been
somewhat altered, is now known as the webster
building. IL fronts on d street. between 5th and
9th, where D street and Louisiana avenue inter.
sect and form wide, open space. The building
street, standing the summit az the long gentle
slope OF louisiana avenue.
IN THE DAYS or OLD.
In the days OF Webster and Clay the center OF
the city in point OF fashion wealth and brains was
not far from the City Hall. The distinguished
statesmen OF the day lived IN clearinghouse
along Pennsylvania avenue east OF 7th street.
stopped at the National or Browns hotel or occu-
pied houses on street or some OF the neighboring
building at the northwest corner OF az street and
pennsylvania avenue, in those day one OF the
most fashionable boarding houses in the city, The
streets. were then known collectively as Arfsto.
cratic Row. Here Thomas H. Benton Robert C.
winthrop and other men whose names are histori.
pfr Mar
anted by great men, have lost the dignity they
acquired from such associations, and so it ia with
Me6sters Old home. II is now given up to law
yerS omceS except the basement. In one part OF
the basement is q restaurant, in the other part a
printing Office. The surroundings too, have
changed character. On the west what was once
the Unitarian church is now the Police Court.
with rabble and noise and on the east what were
once the private residences OF well-to-do citizens
are now the health ONCE and the police headquar-
THE WEBSTER BUILDING
is large, double building, with plain, old-fash.
Toned front. When Webster lived there It was but
two stories In height. A story has been added
since his day. On the east was q one-story add.
ton containing large room used as dining
room or Dall room. The rO0my apartments have,
In most cases, been divided and subdivtded int
smaller ONCE rooms. The arrangement OF the real
t 1 snc ss t mas Deen enanged 0u
OF public life to return TO Marshfeld One OF these
rooms used by Mr.. Webster as library, has a bowed
tree and fountain Webster lived here reV two 1 o.
three years prior to his DEATH and was during
that time Secretary OF State In President Fill
mOre'S Cabinet
MEMORABLE SPEECH.
1t was here that he learned that the whig con.
ventfon in Baltimore, In the spring OF 1852, had
set aside his claims and nominated Gen. Scott fol-
the presidency, and from the steps OF this house
Webster, in speech after the convention, sorrow
fully babe the crowd that had assembled at his
fn V-is,
sum-" A few months later he quilted the house to
go TO his death-bed at Marshf1eld. 1t was I'm this
house, too, that Mr.. Webster gave expression 10
his estimate OF Henry Clay as a statesman, as re
corded by his biographer, MT. Charles Lanman.
Mr. Clay was then sick at the National hotel with
the malady which soon afterwards resulted fatally.
AT dinner party at Mr. WeOSter's house, al
which Mr.. Lanman was present, Mr.. Webster was
asked his opinion OF Clay, and In reply uttered the
s words quoted by Mr. Lanmans Mr. Webster was
not then on cordial terms with Mr.. Clay.
ENTERTAINING HIS FRIENDS.
Nj. webster loved to entertain his friends, and
he used frequently TO give In this house uncere-
monious dinners to two or three OF his friends at
time, his companions on fishing excursions or his
associates In public life. Those who were honored
at his own table, it is said, that Websters rare
conversational powers were displayed to the
greatest advantage. 1t was in this house that
less singer, which was one OF the great events q
washington at that day. An old resident OF the
nefghbOrhood speaking to a STAR reporter OF his
rec0llectfOnS OF Webster, said that place where
the great statesman could frequently be seen In
those days was the market. He made IL prac-
tice to DO his own marketing, and he was a
splendid judge. He always selected the best. ''In
those days" said the old resident, "a dinner was
a dinner, and a dinner at Mr.. Webster's house
meant good solid food. There were no flowers or
center pieces or nonsense OF that kind, but good
food and the best wines in the world. II Daniel
Webster had turkey on his table, 1t was one he
had bought himself, and you could be sure IL was
q C0n "a a CYfAln yrff
that was what you would find there"
wEBSTERs PEAR TREE.
The tree in the yard In the rear OF the Webster
building is said to have been planted by Webster
but If this tree cannot show clear title to such dis
tinction there is another tree in the city that
Mr. webster once owned and occupied the house
that Mr. COrcoran lives In on Lafayette square. He
and Mr.. COrcOran were always intimate friends
Once when MI. webster was a guest at Mr.. Cor.
cOran's table, after the house had become the
home OF the banker, Mr.. Webster going with MI.
CorcOran into the garden, pointed out a tree and
said: Corcoran do you see that tree? planted that
when was with Tyler. / hope you Will always
care for It," The tree which is pear tree, still
stands in Mr.. Corcoran's garden, where it is care.
fully attended, and it still bears an abundance OF
luscious fruit.